Boarding Officers' Conference Supports Maritime Security Operations
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS060522-07
Release Date: 5/22/2006 2:49:00 PM
By Journalist 2nd Class Cassandra Thompson, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs
NORTH PERSIAN GULF (NNS) -- Twenty-five U.S. and multinational coalition boarding team members participated in a Commander, Task Group (CTG) 158.1 Boarding Officers’ Conference aboard Australian ship HMAS Ballarat (FFH 155), May 14.
U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps personnel met with their Australian counterparts to discuss various issues pertaining to routine security sweeps of Iraqi fishing vessels, merchant ships and other maritime vessels in Iraqi waters. They exchanged ideas concerning strategies and policies, and discussed their previous boarding experiences.
Vessels in the vicinity of Task Group 158.1 that operate in the area to fish, or in the case of tankers and supertankers, to obtain fuel from Iraq’s two offshore facilities, Al Basra and the Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminals, are routinely boarded by coalition forces.
“We’ve got boarding parties representing all of the different coalition countries, and they’re all very proficient, but have slightly different ways of doing things,” explained Australian Capt. Malcolm Wise, commanding officer of HMAS Ballarat. “We also have a range of experience, from ships that have been here for several months to ships that have just arrived in the last couple of weeks. So we thought we’d get the group together and share some corporate knowledge about how everyone does business.”
Lt. Bradley Middleton, boarding officer and executive officer of Coast Guard White Patrol Boat Maui (WPB 1304), said in addition to security sweeps, boarding teams also do regular interaction patrols (IPATs) with the local fishermen. During these IPATS, a boarding team will try to establish a rapport with the Iraqi fishermen.
“A lot of the Iraqis want us to be here. They appreciate our presence and honestly want us to stay for a while,” said Middleton. “So typically, they like having us on board. They show a lot of hospitality; offer us food and treat us very well. It’s a lot different from what people would expect given what they see back home on the news.”
U.S. and coalition boarding teams have had similar conferences in the past, said Australian Lt. Richard Schramm, Ballarat’s boarding officer. He stressed the importance of the overall maritime security operations (MSO).
MSO help set the conditions for security and stability in the North Persian Gulf and protect Iraq’s sea-based infrastructure, which provides the Iraqi people the opportunity for self-determination.
“There are so many different nations up here as part of the coalition and so many different ways of boarding,” Schramm said. “It is important that we get together once in awhile to work out how we’re going to jointly achieve this mission.”
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